Da Vinci painting thieves threatened gardener with axe - court hears

A gardener was threatened with an axe as he tried to go after thieves who made off with a Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece from a castle, a court heard today.

• Drumlanrig Castle

John Chrystie, 50, was weeding in the gardens at Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfries-shire, when he became aware of banging, shouting and alarm bells going off.

He said one of the three-strong group brandished an axe when he went to "have a go" at one of them as they ran from the building with the artwork in August 2003.

The evidence was given on the second day of the trial of five men accused of plotting in 2007 to extort 4.25 million for the safe return of the painting, The Madonna Of The Yarnwinder.

In the dock at the High Court in Edinburgh are: Marshall Ronald, 53, of Skelmersdale, Lancashire; Robert Graham, 57, of Ormskirk, Lancashire; John Doyle, 61, also of Ormskirk; Calum Jones, 45, from Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire; and David Boyce, 63, from Airdrie in Lanarkshire.

They deny the charges against them. They are not accused of the robbery.

Mr Chrystie told the court he was working in the estate's east garden at around 11am on August 27 2003 when he heard banging, alarm bells and shouting coming from the south side of the castle.

When the witness, a gardener at Drumlanrig for 20 years, went to see what was going on, he saw three men running away.

• The Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece on display at the National Gallery of Scotland

"There were three gentlemen running down the embankment," he told the court. "They had a square object under their arm, one of them did."

He told the court he noticed the blue and gold colours on the item and realised it was The Madonna Of The Yarnwinder painting, one of the main attractions at the stately home.

Mr Chrystie told the trial: "When I realised what was actually happening, I was going to have a go for one of them and he pulled an axe from under his jacket."

When that happened he kept on running and "veered off" away from the group, he said.

The trial has already heard from tour guide Alison Russell, who said a man grabbed her from behind and threatened to kill her as he stole the Leonardo masterpiece.

Robertha Wilson, a receptionist at the castle, today recalled welcoming two men into the building when the doors opened to visitors that day.

Mrs Wilson, 73, said a short time later a colleague came running down the stairs, crying and shouting: "It's Alison, they've got Alison."

She said she closed the doors, according to the emergency drill procedure, and later saw Mrs Russell "crying and upset".

"At the time I didn't realise they had taken anything," she said. "After that, everything went crazy."